The first time you encounter a balky VW shift mechanism in a Golf or Jetta, you’ll probably end up wishing the owner had opted for the automatic trany. That’s why we started with an illustration which maps out the tortured assembly of rods and levers used on the transverse-mount manual trannys used on Golf and Jettas since 1985. Without an overall understanding of the Teutonic methodology behind the VeeDub’s gear selection process, repairs and adjustments can be a hit and miss affair.